PLYC - Past Featured Alumni 2009

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			Mike Hase & Meredy Hyslop Hase (2% Club Members) January 2009 - Featured Alums What years were you at camp? Mike - I spent two summers as a camper in the early 60's and three summers on staff from 1970 to 1972. Meredy - I was a camper from 1964 -1968. I was a counselor for Girls Camp in 1970. In 1971 & 1972, I was Sailing Director for Boys & Girls Camp and was counselor of Vikings and Atlantus. What tents were you in? Meredy - 1964 was my first year as a camper and I was in Tent 8. “Carol” was my counselor and “Barb” was swimming director (I still have photos of the girls in the tent but naturally none of the photos taken by an 11-year old include last names). Janet Giesen was a tent mate. I was a camper every year until 1968 when I was in Tent 1. I felt that I had finally arrived as one of the “elite,” as I was now a camper in the tent with the oldest girls. Sue Stotts was our counselor and Jeri Finley was our LIT. I shared that tent with Janet Giesen and Mary Roepke Toepfer who became lifelong friends. Mike - Meredy has always been more organized than I am. I can only remember that the first year I was there the tents were all in a line – not organized in units as they are today. I paid for the camp by selling “Thin Mints” for the Waukesha YMCA as part of a fundraiser. I think it cost $40 for 10 days. What job did you have as staff members? Mike -Our neighbor, Marilyn Nelson, was on the camp board and suggested that I apply for a job as a counselor. My first session was in the Navajo tent with 7 – 8 year olds. I really struggled with little kids and moved to the Civil War unit for the rest of the summer. Camp ran four sessions of boy’s camp and 3 sessions of girl’s camp – each session was 10 days long. Staff got one day off every 10 days. The first year I didn’t stay for girls’ camp. The second summer I stayed on for girls’ camp and that is when Meredy and I met. Meredy - 1971 was the first year that I was at camp all summer long as I had been hired as the Sailing Director. 1971 was also the year the Dining Hall burned, just before the arrival of the staff. Mike and I remember a summer of a makeshift kitchen in the west end of the Craft Shop, an outdoor Army kitchen perched on the hill next to the lodge, and nearly all meals eaten while sitting on the ground outdoors. During one downpour and cook’s night off, Mary Roepke Toepfer and I fed the entire camp a meal of hamburger patties cooked in the fireplace of Alford Lodge. 1971 was quite a summer. What are you doing now? Meredy - We live in Wales, WI, about 15 miles north of Camp. We have two wonderful daughters in their mid-twenties and a son-in-law will join the family in May. Both girls live within a half hour of our home and are also PLYC camper alumni. I am an audiologist and the owner of Hearing Services Limited. Mike - I am a consultant with GE Healthcare and work with hospitals on changing culture and improving processes. I am also on the Camp Board of directors. After 1972 we got involved with our work and kids and didn’t have a lot of extra time – but both kept a warm memory of our time at camp. Three years ago Meredy and I went to the girls’ camp reunion and we got reconnected. I was asked to join the board and here I am writing the Alum of the Month column. What about your camp experience has influenced you the most? Mike - There is a common theme when I ask this question of people that revolves around developing leadership skills, self-awareness, and self-confidence and I agree with all of that. But for me the thing that influenced me the most has to be Meredy. I had no idea that when I applied for the counselors’ position in 1970 that it would literally change the course of my life. So, here we sit 37 years later – half a lifetime - on a snowy morning in January writing about our experiences from the summer of 1971 and still feeling the Phantom Spirit. Meredy - Awwwww…..I just read Mike’s answer to this question. Mike tells the story of sitting on the porch of the lodge on Day One of Staff Training in the summer of 1971. He remembers seeing me walking up from the Hilton and that I was wearing a red tee shirt and cut-offs. Everyone sitting on the lodge porch made introductions and Mike said, “If you need help rigging the sailboats, I’d be happy to help.” I said, “Thanks”; he helped me rig the boats that very afternoon; and we’ve been together ever since. Is there anyone from camp to which you'd like to say hello? Mike - There are some people that I would like to reconnect with - Mike Toepfer, Scott Schneider, Steve Groh, Ken Foucault. But more than that I would like to encourage everyone to get involved with camp. 2008 was a great year for camp – the quality of the experience for campers is extremely high – more campers are returning and are bringing their friends along. Our enrollment was up while other camps’ were down. New buildings are in the works and the counseling staff is first rate. We are well on our way into the second century of Camp. The thing that has made us successful over the years is the fresh perspective and energy that comes from volunteering. I’ve found that you always get back much more than you give. I encourage you to reach out to the Alumni group if you want to get back in touch. Would you like to share your email addresses? michael.hase@ge.com and meredy@execpc.com
			John "Slim" Gillin February 2009 - Featured Alum Editors Note: We caught up with Slim on January 7, 2009. He was at his home in Hooper Bay, Alaska. We spoke over a satellite phone. There are no roads to his village–you have to fly in and out on a bush plane. It is about 3300 miles from Phantom and on the day we talked it was –40 degrees (at that temperature, Celsius and Fahrenheit are the same). What years were you at camp? I started as a camper in 1977, became an SDP for three years starting in 1984, and in 1987 joined the staff. My last summer was in 1998. I think I only missed one summer over all that time while I was a seminary student at Trinity Evangelical Divinity School in Deerfield, Illinois. I grew up in Waukesha and went to grade school at Harvey Phillips. I was eight years old when someone from camp came in with a pile of brochures and talked to my class about camp. It was probably either Riley Cooper or Jerry Carman. (When you’re eight, all adults look the same) All I knew about summer camp was what I had seen depicted in the “Peanuts” comic strip, and if it was that much fun for Charlie Brown and Snoopy, I knew it was the place for me, too! What tents were you in? Oh, in all of those summers, I think I was in just about every Tent at one time or another. (some a lot more than others.) As a counselor, I think I spent most of my summers in Brigs. What job did you have as staff members? Counselor, Head Counselor, Archery Director, Store (Phantom Mercantile) Manager, Theater Director, Theater Camp Director, Day Camp Counselor, Day Camp Director, Outdoor Adventure Director, Fishing Director, Boating Staff, Swimming Staff, Lifeguard, SDP Director, Spiritual Emphasis Director, Retreat Coordinator, Guest Services Manager, “Spring Bake” Trip Co-Coordinator, Kitchen Staff, Assistant Program Director, Ad Hoc Office Staff, “…and any other duties as deemed necessary as per this letter of employment agreement.” My favorite job, by far, was being the SDP Director. The SDPs had so much pure excitement for “camp” in general, that it was contagious. I liked being able to focus on camp in the off-season, too. Most people really don’t realize just how much planning takes place to make the summer run smoothly. One of the SDPs whom I remember most fondly was John “Vision” Skender. He had been a camper of mine multiple times over many summers, and his goal was always to one day get to be an SDP at camp-- and then he was just so thrilled when he finally became one. Like I said—it’s that kind of raw unbridled enthusiasm for camp which the SDPs seem to universally share that make this age group so dynamic to work with. What are you doing now? My wife Mary Ellen and I both teach reading and writing in the remote Yup’ik Eskimo village of Hooper Bay, Alaska, along the Bering Sea (we’re just off the “Deadliest Catch” crabbing fields, actually). We’re roughly 550 miles from Anchorage and only about 60 miles from Russia. (But no matter what Governor Palin claims, no, we can’t see it from here!). I always figured that teaching is basically the same job description everywhere—so I wanted to find an interesting place to do it. I’d sent letters out to all 54 Alaska school districts, and got offers from 24 of them. The Superintendent who hired me had actually tracked me down all the way over in Liverpool, England, where I was on vacation. I thought, “Wow, if he found me all the way over here, he must really want me.” So I accepted the job here eleven years ago. By pure coincidence, one of the new teachers I’m working with up here who just stared this past school year in Hooper Bay is Jerry Percak. He is the father of Jeff Percak, a former camper / SDP of mine from the late ‘80’s and early ‘90’s! Steven Wright was correct: “It’s a small world, but I wouldn’t want to paint it.” I have spent the past seven summers at YMCA Camp Benson in Mt. Carroll, Illinois, where I am a senior staff member and currently the camp cook, SDP Liaison, and ASSISTANT to the CAMP DIRECTOR. One of my hobbies is collecting post cards from Phantom Lake Y Camp, especially those written home by campers. Recently, I found myself bidding against Jenny Porter for them on eBay. I have about 100 of them, so far, ranging from my oldest one (1907) through the 1960’s. If you happen to have any old PLYC postcards from the 1960’s or older which you might possibly be willing to part with, please contact me. What about your camp experience has influenced you the most? Definitely the counselors I had who were such excellent role models about what it meant to truly give of yourself and how to just have fun for the sake of fun. I pretty much knew from that moment on just what I wanted to do with my life—to make a difference to others in the same positive way they had done in my life. That still remains my primary life purpose to this day, and it’s been a great life because of that. Is there anyone from camp to which you'd like to say hello? The Veterans—“O-h-h-h-h!” And to anyone else I’ve had either as a counselor, a camper, an SDP, a co-staffer, or just a friend. You’ve all been a HUGE part of my life, and I feel so blessed to have had the time I’ve had out at Phantom Lake. And, really, to everyone else out there who is keeping them flames of friendship burning… “Camp On!” Would you like to share your email addresses? slimgillin@aol.com
			John Griffin March 2009 - Featured Alum What years were you at camp? 1967-1970, then again 1974 -1976. I was never there as a camper, except for a weekend with Indian Guides. I lived in Wauwatosa and attended the University of Wisconsin at Madison studying engineering. I had an older brother who was working as an engineer and I saw the kind of work he was doing and it just didn’t seem like the way I wanted to spend my life. From my experiences working at Camp I decided I wanted to work with young people as a career, not just during the summers. I transferred to Arizona State in Tempe and graduated in 1971, majoring in math, chemistry and education. In September of 1971, I moved to Australia and taught there for 2 years. Before leaving for Australia, however, I came back to Wauwatosa to say goodbye to my parents. Judy Borchert (a former Phantom counselor) and I came out to camp toward the end of the summer in 1971 and saw the remains of the dining hall after the fire. That was really something! What job did you have as staff members? During those my first stint at camp I had a variety of jobs on the waterfront and with the horses. One summer I worked maintenance with Bob Liddell. I was the counselor of Buccaneers. The second stint was after I had been overseas teaching school in Australia, so I was somewhat older than the counselors and staff. In 1974 I was the program director. It was interesting because I got to see the whole operation. Looking back I think I did a good job, but could have been more effective. I remember Keith Marty - he was the SDP director. I really admired the way he worked with the 14 – 16 year olds. He had a way of easily relating to them but was firm enough to provide leadership. In 1975 and again in ‘76 I was the tripping director – that was the best job! The summer of 1976 is particularly memorable because Helen (Houts) and I got married during staff training. The wedding was in Glen Ellyn, and then a day or so later we reported to Phantom to work the rest of the summer! Helen was the waterfront director and I ran tripping. What are you doing now? I retired from teaching after 30 years. Helen and I have raised two wonderful sons who also live and work in the area and whom we try to see quite often. I try and workout daily at the local YMCA in Tempe. Helen is a volunteer trainer there. I also am an avid camper and hunter, and I travel quite often. What about your camp experience has influenced you the most? Well, I would certainly be remiss if I didn’t mention that I had met my wife at camp. Sir G used to say that the 2% club was formed by those staff members who formed life long relationships that started at camp. I think that definition fits nearly everyone, but the percentage that go on and get married is actually more than 2%. I think that anyone who attends Phantom takes away even more than they give, whether as a camper or staff member. I actually think the parents benefit the most because they get back a camper who is more totally rounded as a person and more complete. I still stay in touch with Riley Cooper. Is there anyone from camp to which you'd like to say hello? There are so many wonderful people I met there over the seven summers I spent at Phantom that I would be afraid of leaving someone out. Let’s just say that Phantom and the friendships I formed there changed my life enough that I quit engineering school and became a teacher to continue working with young people for the rest of my life. Would you like to share your email addresses? Sure, mine is: jeg1422@aol.com and Helen’s is: Grif1422@aol.com
			Betty Putnam Diven April 2009 - Featured Alum What years were you at camp? I attended Phantom in 1933 and 1934. I sent a group picture of one of those years for the girls camp reunion a couple of years ago. I also have my autograph album from 1931-1933 with 31 names of campers and counselors. These were the depression years. I started out at a camp in New Mexico but when the depression hit my family couldn’t afford to send me there. My Father and Mother wanted me and my brother to have all the good experiences possible and summer camp was part of that. I think my counselor in 1934 was Marcia Smith from Mukwonago. My best friend, Rogene Franklin, and I were smitten with her and we both decided to go to the University of Wisconsin and be P.E. majors like her. Rogene went for one semester. My father wouldn't let me go, he said it was too "red". I attended the University of Arizona but dropped out of the P.E. course. Eventually I graduated from Beloit College in 1942. I met Rosemary Tindall of Rockford, IL, at camp. We met again later when we were both working in Madison. We ended up rooming together and I was her maid of honor at her wedding. What Job as a staff member? My sons were campers. They started going to camp while we lived in Oregon, IL and continued after we moved to New Mexico. It took some convincing to get them interested but once they experienced camp they loved it. My son Bill worked there from 1966 – 1968, first as a dishwasher, then as a steward, and finally as a counselor. He is now in the news business. My son Chuck has very vivid memories of camp. In 1997 we came back for a visit. It looked almost the same as when I was there as a camper. What are you doing now? I live in Las Cruces. New Mexico now. Raised in Oregon, IL. Attended the U. of Arizona and Beloit College. Worked in Madison and at Patterson Field in Ohio and then for my Father in Oregon, IL. Bill came to Oregon to teach, we married and have five sons. In 1964 we moved to Las Cruces for one year for Bill to get an education specialist degree in remedial reading. We've been here ever since. They opened a new high school and he retired in 1979. He died in 2006 when he was almost 92. Three sons live in Las Cruces, an artist, a photographer and a doctor. Bill you know and Chuck (retired military) have been in contact with Phantom through the years. I live in a doublewide mobile home in a senior community. Am blessed to be able to live alone and to drive. What about your camp experience has influenced you the most? There is just nothing quite like summer camp to expand your horizons. I liked sports and that was part of camp. I also tried painting and made a lanyard. I probably wouldn’t have tried these things had it not been for camp. I also remember going to a bible study and sitting in a circle. I had been to Sunday school but could never have led a bible study the way the camper did. Is there anyone from camp to which you'd like to say hello? There probably are not that many people still around – I been blessed with a long life. The people I remember from my autograph album are Cap the diving instructor and Margret Otis the swimming instructor. Finally Marcia Smith. Would you like to share your email addresses? DivenBB@aol.com
			Michele Korb May 2009 - Featured Alum What years were you at camp? I was there the summers of 1989, 90 and 91 as a counselor. I was never a camper. I found out about PLYC from Elizabeth McNally (who lived on my floor in the residence halls at Marquette University – I was her RA). What tents were you in? My first summer I was in Boot Hill with exchange counselor, Beth MacGregor. I was also in Antietam and then in Buccos as a counselor. I lived in non-counseling spaces as well for a time when I ran the Mercantile and Land Sports one summer. What job did you have as staff members? I worked at Boating, Land Sports, Craft Shop, Mercantile and general musical rousings. I wrote a song called “Circle of Love” (featured on a CD called “Almost Me”, which is available for sale at camp now and all proceeds go to camp from that CD) that is about the square ceremony!! I played guitar quite a bit for camp shows and campfires. That was one of my major jobs. I also played reveille on the bugle (well, my trumpet since the camp bugle was a little rough) each morning (when Mike Rule didn’t beat me to it) and then taps after square quite often. What are you doing now? I have just completed (after 7 years of work) my PhD in Science Education at Marquette University. I have been teaching at MU for 8 years in the College of Education (teaching future teachers how to teach science), in the Physics Department (teaching a general science course for education majors which I developed) and in the Biology Department (teaching biology to majors and pre-meds). I will be moving to Hayward, CA (the East Bay across from San Francisco) at the end of June 2009 (forwarding address to come….). I have taken a tenure track, science education position in the Teacher Education program at California State University- East Bay. I am EXCITED!! In my leisure time, I study and play jazz guitar and sing. I have a jazz quartet (Metafour Jazz – metafourjazz.com) and I also play solo and duo gigs quite often. I have played MANY gigs with PLYC alum, Mark Olson. He has a great new CD out as well! I am currently releasing a jazz duo CD with my friend and teacher, Tom Theabo. The CD is called “Ab Origine” (Latin for “From the Beginning” ….long story…I can explain if people want to write to me and buy a CD). I am donating $10 from each CD sold to camp for new tents. SO – PLYC folks should buy them from me soon! ($15). Finally, I keep myself in shape and sane by studying martial arts. I have a black belt in Tae Kwon Do and have a background in mixed martial arts (Muay Thai kickboxing, Silat, Jeet Kune Do, Kali and Eskrima). My favorite is sparring and boxing. What about your camp experience has influenced you the most? I came to camp as a semi-outgoing person. But, camp helped me to really pull my creative juices to the surface and learn to produce all sorts of exciting and meaningful events on the spot. I had to draw from my deepest inner strengths to do this. When I had no strength in a particular area, I was able to grow and learn from other counselors and campers. I was able to weave new threads of creativity into my life because of camp. The lasting and meaningful friendships or memories have influenced me as well. Camp has inspired music in me and a sense of awe in nature and in other people. Is there anyone from camp to which you'd like to say hello? Everyone! I am on Facebook, so people can catch me there. Alsom my quartet has a MySpace page. Would you like to share your email addresses? Michele.korb@gmail.com
			Riley Cooper (2% Club) June 2009 - Featured Alum What years were you at camp? 1971 - 1982. All summer each year except for 1971 (Boys Camp only) and 1982 (Girls Camp and Co-Ed Camp only). I remember my first day at camp. I showed up for my interview just a few days after the dining hall fire. I was really intimidated as I walked into camp: the trees were big, the lodge was imposing - and then there was the bald guy – Sir G. It all seemed so impressive! What tents were you in? When I counseled (only in 1971 and 1972), I was in Shiloh and Apache. What job did you have as staff members? I started as a counselor in Boys Camp for 1971 and 1972, then became the Steward for Girls Camp 1972 – it was the first year for the new dining hall - and all summer for 1973 and 1974. Then I served as Program Director in Boys Camp 1975, Assistant Cook in Girls Camp that year, followed by Program Director for the rest of my time at camp. Program director was by far my favorite job. There were such a variety of experiences – always something new everyday. It met my need to perform. I spent little time in my office and loved being able to see everything that was going on. I started playing a record each morning at breakfast to set the tone for the day. Sometimes it was energizing and sometimes the camp didn’t need any more energy so I played something a little calming. In 1977 we had the first coed camp for one week at the end of the summer. I thought the idea came from all the fun we had at camp dances. Later I found out the real reason it was so popular was that parents could drop off all their kids at one time and have time alone. The first one was a little rocky! What are you doing now? I have been a high school mathematics teacher at Waukesha North High School for 31 years. My youngest son is just finishing his first year of college so I’ll be at it a while longer. What about your camp experience has influenced you the most? From the first day at camp, I was stretched as a person and brought out of my comfort zone, causing me to grow in many ways. The most obvious benefit was to gain enough self-confidence to become a teacher. I have to mention that I met my wife (Karen Johnson) at camp. She was a camper the first year I stayed for girl’s camp. A few years after that we started dating and she has been influencing my life ever since. Is there anyone from camp to which you'd like to say hello? I’ve kept track of many people since I left camp, so I get to say “Hi” on my own. However, I just don’t get to see Sir G and Lady Sue enough, so I’ll give a shout-out to them. Hope you guys have fun celebrating Jerry’s special birthday this summer! Also, I’ll be traveling to Phoenix in June, so I want to make sure that John Griffin picks me up at the airport! I see him once a year. Sometimes we meet in Las Vegas and sometimes in Phoenix. There was a group that hung together in the mid 70s. We called ourselves the Phantom Five: Dave Schlegel, Dave Hodges, Keith Marty, Gary Fishleigh, and I. Gary passed away, but he was the best man at my wedding and I was the best man at his (twice!). Would you like to share your email addresses? For all of the Phantom alumni who are not solicitors or spammers, it’s kjrc1719@gmail.com
			Chris Carman July 2009 - Featured Alum What years were you at camp? I was born the summer the dining hall burned down in 1972 and then spent the next 14 summers until 1986. I’m now a member of the Phantom Board of Directors. What tents were you in? At first I stayed in the directors cabin but spent one week a summer in a tent. I was in Cherokee, Sioux, Boot Hill, Antietam and Shiloh. Odd as it may sound I was very homesick when I first went into a tent. My counselors John Enrietto and Rob Hoffman had to invest a lot of time working with me to overcome the problem. Normally they would have escalated the problem to my Dad but that would have worked right in with what I wanted so they had to deal with me directly. I’m sure that they invested a lot of time on me and I’d like to say thanks! What job did you have as staff members? I was never a counselor but I worked in the kitchen with my Mom and then was on the maintenance crew mowing and cutting down trees. From June to December 2006 I was the interim director. What are you doing now? I own a business called Action Coaching. We work with business owners to do three things – increase profits, decrease the hours worked, and help build strong teams. It is typical to see my clients go from losing $7,000 to earning $20,000 per month. Currently I have about 100 clients. In 2000, I married Sue in the Lodge at camp and we have two daughters, Grace is 4 ½ and Ella is almost 3. They were baptized on the Flagstones. What about your camp experience has influenced you the most? It took me a long time to realize that I was blessed with an incredible experience. I was able to meet people from all over the world and at Camp everyone is equal and welcome. I guess that Phantom changed the way that I perceive the world. Is there anyone from camp to which you'd like to say hello? Hi to Big Bird, Karen Barkstall, and John Enrietto. Would you like to share your email address? cgcarman@gmail.com
			Kim Zimmerman August 2009 - Featured Alum What years were you at camp? I started as a camper in 1978 at the invitation of my elementary school friend, Lisa Traut, whose family had history as PLYC campers. I was a camper/SDP for 9 glorious years. During the late 70’s / 80’s we had serious Libertyville (Liberygood) representation! When I was 15, and old enough to be a CIT, I chose to return as a camper for an additional summer. The feeling I got in the pit of my stomach when the car turned down the gravel road never changed. SDP years were fantastic. I was a CIT in 1984, girls camp, working with my sister Michelle in Gettysburg…who came up with that idea? We had a tent full of amazing young women who I remember till this day. LIT in ’85 also girls camp. I was an AC in ’86. My 3rd week as AC I counseled Boot Hill during my first experience at co-ed camp, luckily I had Becky Greco as my SDP. My tent had a fantastic rivalry with Mark Kindler’s Vikings for cleanest tent and just about everything else competitive. I returned to camp as counselor of Atlantus in ’87 and ’88. Debbie Simmons and Kate Rajeck rounded out the mythical unit and we always had a finely crafted Mythical unit song after the second night! I returned in 1990 per request, to fill in for a counselor who could not make it that summer. I had never worked with young kids, but I had a very memorable summer in Apache, the sweetness of those girls was such a treat. Plus, as a bonus, you get to use the bathrooms first after taps! Jenny Porter returned to camp that summer to work on a film and we re-connected which was like completing the circle. She was the counselor that I wrote to every other day after my summer in Atlantus in 1981. What tents were you in? 1. Sioux: ’78 girls camp (Wendy Jones was my counseling AC) “we will swim, we will sail, as we win and never fail as the Sioux tent goes marching along” 2. Tombstone girls camp ’79 (Amy Wimmer) 3. Antietam ’80 girls camp (Dierdre Winkelhake) I was so psyched to sing the “A-N, A-N, A-N-T-I, E-T, E-T, E-T-A-M” cheer 4. Atlantus: ’81 girls camp (Jenny Porter) “Atlantus tent with the OPH” ( Official Preppy Handbook) 5. Vikings: ’82 girls camp (Jane Ralph) taps talks with The Little Prince 6. Vikings: ’83 girls camp (Kirsten Edgar) and her beautiful blonde hair. What job did you have as staff members? I was one of those counselors that was never let anywhere near the kitchen…not sure why, maybe that’s why I don’t like to cook.I think I did almost everything else: swimming, boating, archery, riflery, craft shop, store/mercantile, nature and tripping. What are you doing now? I am the Director Speech Pathology and Hospital Neurosciences at the University of Illinois Medical Center in Chicago, where I have been happily employed since 1993. I supervise staff and treat patients with various speech, voice, language and swallowing disorders. The majority of our caseload is complex neuro: aneurysm, AVM, brain tumor and neuromuscular disorders. I married an amazing man in September of 2008 and my family can confirm that I have never been happier. Tom took a journey to PLYC with me during our first year of dating where he made a tie-dye shirt and ate corn dogs in the dining hall, it was love for sure. We reside in Chicago, Illinois, about 1 mile west of the Sears Tower. All of the Zimmerman’s are well: Michelle is married to Dean Smith and they have 3 sons. Ben will be at Phantom next summer. Chris is married to Kristen Weichelt and they travel, go to baseball games and are social animals. Ashley is getting married in July to Max Salazar, true love traveled from Ecuador. Mom and Dad are still in Libertyville on Clover Lane enjoying life with the kids out of the house! What about your camp experience has influenced you the most? Camp shaped me, it set the foundation for who I eventually became. I learned how to be a friend, a team player, a leader and a very good listener. All of this is due to the incredible people! Is there anyone from camp to which you'd like to say hello? Hello everyone!!! Far too many people to name all, but I will hit one family: still think fondly of the D’Angelo’s…drop me an e-mail. Same for everyone, I’d love to catch up! Would you like to share your email address? kimzimryan@gmail.com
			Steve Groh September 2009 - Featured Alum What years were you at camp? I worked in both the boys and girls camps of 1969 and 1970. My mother worked as secretary for a school in Fond du Lac and a mailer came through looking for Camp Staff – specifically Indian Lore. I was interested in archeology, so I applied. What tents were you in? I never attended Phantom as a Camper; I was the counselor in Boot Hill (oh YES!) in 1969 and Alamo in 1970. Both my daughter and son were campers. We were living all over the world and it seemed like a good idea to give them an American experience. What job did you have as staff member? Indian Lore (I wonder what the current PC name for that is?) as Chief Cowabunga. I also replaced Don Sheely as John Griffin's partner in the flaming hoop dance in 1970. What are you doing now? I am retired from the US Department of State Foreign Service. My wife Sheila and I live on 100 beautiful acres in the Siskiyou Mountains in Southwestern Oregon. Since the crooks and politicians (but I repeat myself) have managed to evaporate our 401k, we have just opened a law office in Grants Pass to do some part-time family law and immigration practice. I’m also the Board Chair for the local chapter of Young Life, a Christian outreach for high school kids. We are also going to be grandparents in the near future. What about your camp experience has influenced you the most? Probably the lessons I learned in the practicalities of leading and managing people; I've often said, "All I ever really needed to know about personnel management I learned as a YMCA camp counselor." Probably make a good title for a book... In my first session of boys camp I thought it would be a good idea to just be a friend and horse around with the campers – thinking that if they liked me everything would work fine. Needless to say that session started out of control and stayed out of control! The next session I started off with a very firm approach and then was able to back off once everyone learned the rules. Is there anyone from camp to which you'd like to say hello? Mike Hase; John Griffin; Jeff Johnson; Doogan; Mike Toepfer; Kenny Foucault; Connie Meek; Sara Jane Perkins; Barb Cook; Brent from the rifle range and Brent from the horse corral. I hope to make it to the 2010 reunion and would love to see some of you there. Would you like to share your email addresses? StevenGroh@gmail.com
			Mike Murphy October 2009 - Featured Alum What years were you at camp? Camper: Summers of 1980 – '83. Camper and a CIT in 1984, LIT 1985 with some Winter Camps in there. I never did my AC year. Staff in '87 and again for one session in '92 in Brigs with Pudd. I've been coming back the past few years to volunteer. The present staff puts us old timers to shame. What an amazing All-Star bunch of young men and women. What tents were you in? I was in Buccos my first two years with Otto Grunow and Al Shambeau. I would have been in Vikings but my brother (Joe "Mamma" Murphy) was the counselor there, so they bumped me up. I remember Otto got a draft letter from South Africa my year with him. Apartheid was still in place then. Then the next two years I had Jim Hynds in Vikings and Boot Hill(?) That last tent was wild, we were all old enough to be CITs but we weren’t needed so we were allowed to be campers one more time. We gave Jim many headaches that session. That and being “lewd and lucivious without swearing” at the dining table. Jim hated that, as well as “touchy feely games” I don’t know what those were per se, but everytime he said it, it gave him the willies… hilarious What job did you have as staff member? I was on the waterfront all my years there. Usually, I taught swimming and lifeguarded in the morning, and boating in the afternoon. I taught Rowboat, Canoe, First Mate, and Funyak (as much as one can teach that). I never learned to sail, at camp or otherwise. I was also the Under the Pier Diver in emergencies. The irony here is that I am somewhat phobic of lakes and the ocean. Just the idea of swimming the Chuck Tuna scares the daylights out of me. What are you doing now? I own a tavern in Champaign called Mike N Molly’s for the past 12 years. Molly is my sister, but I own the business on my own. What about your camp experience has influenced you the most? That’s easy, Raggers. Raggers is a program about “coming of age”. It provides ritual to mark levels of maturity we accept for ourselves. It helped me to understand that I have great influence over who I become, more than my parents and teachers. It helped me to realize that it is my own decision as to who I am. Who I become is not only Nature vs Nurture. I, actively or passively, make decisions for myself as to what kind of person I “grow up” to be. Whatever our faith, the universe is calling us to be the best person we can be and Raggers helped me to hear that call, and instill it within myself. It taught me that I AM the most influential person in MY life. I have also “influenced” myself into a lot of stupid situations, situations I am not proud of. My experiences with Raggers has helped me to own up to those too. Personal growth is certainly a lifelong challenge. It doesn’t end with the Red or Purple or White Rag, nor is it exclusive to the Raggers Program. Raggers is just one way to remind myself that life is a journey, not a destination, and HOW I walk that path will determine what I get out of it and where it takes me, as much or more than WHICH path I take. Is there anyone from camp to which you'd like to say hello? YES!! Jim Hynds, where the heck are you? We, your former campers, miss you and hope you come to a reunion soon. Hello also to Mike Rule, Jane Ralph, Ted Anderson, cousin Sully, Otto and Al you were all instrumental in making PLYC very special to me. Charlie Russell, the Wolowicz brothers, Crazy Dan, the two Tracys, Mehr and Cleveland, Joe Diedrich, Dirty Harry, all the Olsens, Joelle Horn and Barb Gutting … you were the examples, characters and mentors that made camp fun for me and made me want to share that with others. Mark Owens.. what ever happened to you, you little troublemaker? Mark was part of my “most interesting” tent. He was also part of the solution. Of course Sir G and Lady Sue. They always made us feel like we were part of a big family, which of course, we were and are. Jeez, how lucky were we to be there with them, when they saved camp from certain demise, and made it an independent YMCA? Talk about a debt of gratitude!!! I heartily encourage ALL ALUM to come back and make a visit, even if just for a day… you will not regret it!! I would also like to express my sincere condolences to the Battin family. Doug was my first SDP as a camper. He was SO MUCH fun, and such a beacon of life affirmation. Would you like to share your email addresses? mjmurphy@shout.net I'm also on Facebook.
			Molly Garner November 2009 - Featured Alum What years were you at camp? I first went to camp in 1981 as a Magnificent 7 in 1981. Someone said that was the first year they allowed seven-year-olds. Melissa Holt was my counselor. I started on staff in 1993 and left in 1997. I had four younger siblings who all attended Phantom and were on staff as well. What tents were you in? I remember being in Seminole at least three times. Eventually I made my way to the Civil War unit, where my campmate, Nicole Dehne, tried to write the names of rival tents on large maxi-pads. And I spent one memorable week in Atlantis with Kim Zim. Do other people remember all of their tents and counselors? I guess I was not paying attention enough. I do remember some of my favorite Craft Shop directors…Crazy Dan, Indo Joe, and Becky Greco. What job did you have as staff member? I worked in the Craft Shop whenever they would let me. I was a counselor, Craft Shop Director, and then SDP Director for my last two years. That last job was the best and ultimately gave me a lot of the skills I have needed to be a school administrator. In general, working at camp helped me know how to organize events with flair. We packed so much creativity into the skits and program announcements and Criers that we did. Even today my camp learning reminds me to try to keep things interesting. What are you doing now? I direct a partnership between the UW-Madison School of Education and our local schools. My work focuses on building sustainable relationships with our partner schools and making an impact on the teaching and learning within those buildings. I have also worked for the Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction and spent two years in Brazil as a principal. I started off as a sixth grade teacher. What about your camp experience has influenced you the most? I’d say having all of those opportunities for leadership at such a young age were most influential. The counselors there are amazing. Today when I see their energy, I am floored. They are just eighteen years old on up and they do social work, behavior management, lifesaving, and every other support you can imagine for kids. I know (without a doubt) that I would not have the energy to keep up with it all now. We cranked out all of that fun on less than six hours of sleep most days! I love the sense of belonging at PLYC. I mentor a kid who goes to camp on a scholarship, and it has been something special to watch him catch the Phantom Spirit and have that sense of belonging. Is there anyone from camp to which you'd like to say hello? I’ve been lucky to stay in touch with a lot of really fun people from camp. So, maybe I’ll say hey to some folks I have not been in contact with…Kathy Breclaw and Kerry McWalter. And Joe Wong and Scott Zylstra used to make me laugh so hard. Would you like to share your email addresses? Sure, you can find me at mollyg@mollyg.us Anything else? There is a group of us that is establishing a fundraising effort amongst former staffers of my generation. The goal is to gather together with any number of your old camp buddies (or anyone else you want) and give enough money to send a camper to PLYC. In this way, even small donations can add up to something meaningful. We hope to be able to connect a group of alumni donors with the camper that they send to PLYC. Please contact me if you want more information.
			Rebecca Greco December 2009 - Featured Alum What years were you at camp? I came to camp as an eight-year-old camper in 1978 and came every summer as a camper, SDP, then counselor, through 1991. What tents were you in? Apache, Boot Hill (on no!), Tombstone, Atlantus TWICE, Brigadeers, Buccaneers. I skipped the Civil War Unit as a camper. What job did you have as staff member? I had the honor of being the Craft Shop Director, which remains to this day one of the best jobs I have ever had. The sound of all of those little boys working away on their wood and soapstone sculptures is one of my very favorite memories. What are you doing now? I’m a middle school principal at a little private school in my neighborhood in Berkeley, CA. I’m also a single mom of a now 2/12-year old boy. What about your camp experience has influenced you the most? So much. Most treasured probably as all of that time spent outside, loving the place—playing kettle games, swimming in the lake, canoeing at night. That sense of connection to specific places remains vital to me. When I don’t know what to do, I go outside. I think of Mike Rule each time I light a campfire or pack for a camping trip. There’s a meadow in the Berkeley hills where I hike often now and the smell is just like the smell in the tall grasses up where the old stables spot was in the kettles. Diving into a lake still makes me feel like myself again. That’s all because of camp. So much of what I do every day in my work with middle school kids goes right back to camp too. I remember how special and welcomed I felt arriving at camp every summer as a kid, and I try to bring some of that specialness to the kids’ days when I do gate duty every morning. I also feel as if I’ve joined another PLYC society in experiencing how quickly camp songs come back to me when my toddler needs distracting—breaking into Skinamarinkidinkidink during an ugly diaper change can really help. Is there anyone from camp to which you'd like to say hello? Sue Six, who was great to me when I was 14—I so vividly remember her kindness—the D’Angleo’s, Dana and Eva Slocomb, Lisa Daley, Seoda Duffy, Eric Vandeveld, Adam Coblentz, Molly Cunningham, Jane Ralph, Molly Garner. Would you like to share your email addresses? Absolutely: rebeccakgreco@gmail.com